MAJOR: I have the honor to
submit herewith the report of Major Holt, commanding the Tenth Georgia Volunteers, of the
conduct of his regiment in the battle of Crampton's Gap, on the 14th instant, together
with a list of the casualties in his regiment; also Captain Manly's report of the part
taken by his battery in the same action:
By order of Major General McLaws, a picket,
consisting of a company, was posted in Burkittsville Gap, which, by my orders, was
afterward increased to three regiments and five pieces of artillery, thus employing all
the regiments of my brigade, except the Tenth Georgia, which had been previously sent to
picket the Rohrersville road and other avenues leading down Pleasant Valley in the
direction of Harper's Ferry. On the 13th instant, Colonel Parham, commanding Mahone's
brigade, reported with his command to me by order of Major-General McLaws, with directions
to post one of his regiments as a picket in Solomon's Gap.
Having soon become more familiar with the roads
and passes, on the morning of the 14th instant I ordered Colonel Parham, with his three
remaining regiments and battery, to Crampton's Gap, for the purpose of guarding that pass;
and directed him, if he should need support, to call upon Major Holt, commanding Tenth
Georgia Volunteers, for his regiment, then posted on the Rohrersville road. On the morning
of the 14th instant, Brigadier-General Cobb, with his command, was ordered up the valley
to his old camp near mine, by Major-General McLaws. General McLaws informed me that
General Cobb would take command of Crampton's Gap, and directed that the troops under my
command should be withdrawn therefrom. When General Cobb returned to his old camp, I
called on him, and communicated General McLaws' orders, and soon after set out to visit
the picket guard in Burkittsville Gap. While on the mountain, the enemy engaged Colonel
Parham's troops with artillery and infantry at the base of the mountain. I immediately
dispatched this information to General Cobb, with the request that he would hurry forward
his troops to Crampton's Gap, to the support of Colonel Parham, and in a few minutes I
followed hurriedly on horseback, for the purpose of offering General Cobb whatever
assistance it might be in my power to render him. Arriving at the base of, and soon after
commencing the ascent of the mountain at Crampton's Gap, I encountered fugitives from the
battle-field, and endeavored to turn them back. Proceeding farther up the mountain, the
troops were met pouring down the road and through the wood, in great disorder, where I
found General Cobb and his staff, at the imminent risk of their lives, using every effort
to check and rally them. I immediately joined my efforts, and those of my staff who were
with me, to General Cobb's, and co-operated with him for a considerable time in the vain
efforts to rally the men. Finding it impossible to rally them so near the enemy, it was
determined to post artillery about half a mile farther to the rear and bring up two of my
regiments from Burkittsville Gap, which had been previously ordered forward, and make a
stand there to arrest the farther advance of the enemy during that night. Line of battle
was finally formed here. The enemy made no farther advance.
Colonel Parham, commanding Mahone's brigade, and
Colonel Munford, of the cavalry, as I was informed, jointly made the dispositions for the
battle, which was conducted under their orders, and the troops under their command had
been thrown into disorder and were retiring from the field before General Cobb's command
came up.
Major Holt's report shows that up to the time he
was disabled his regiment behaved well, and I can testify from my own observation that
Captain Loud, upon whom the command devolved, conducted himself most gallantly. A section
of Captain Manly's battery, and three pieces of the Reserve Artillery, under command of
Captain Macon, which had been ordered to Burkittsville Gap by myself, did good service in
breaking the enemy's lines, checking his advance, and inflicting loss on him.

MAJOR: I have the honor to report
briefly the part enacted by my brigade, composed of the Fifteenth and Thirty-second
Virginia and the Tenth and Fifty-third Georgia Volunteers, and Manly's battery, in the
battle of Sharpsburg, on September 17:
Moving forward by the flank in the direction of
the enemy, before coming in view, two brigades were met retiring from the front apparently
badly cut up. An incessant current of wounded flowed to the rear, showing that the
conflict had been severe and well contested. Coming in full view, of the enemy's line,
Major-General McLaws, in person, ordered me to move forward in line to the support of
Major-General Stuart, on our extreme left. Immediately the order was given, "by
company into line," followed by "forward into line," both of which
movements were executed, in the presence of the enemy, under a fire occasioning severe
loss in killed and wounded. The brigade advanced steadily for 200 yards under fire before
the order was given to commence firing. This order was then given at long range for most
of our arms, for the purpose of encouraging our troops and disconcerting the enemy. The
troops, it is true, needed little encouragement. Their officers had already inspired them
with enthusiasm, and they continued to advance with vivacity. The effect on the enemy's
fire of the order to the regiments of the brigade that had formed in line to commence
firing was distinctly visible in the diminished numbers of killed and wounded. The enemy
at first met our advance by a corresponding one. Our troops continued to press steadily
forward, pouring a deadly fire into his ranks, and he, after advancing 100 yards, gave
way; and we continued to drive him from position to position, through wood and field for a
mile, expend-ing not less than 40 rounds of ammunition. My brigade was thrown farther to
the front than the troops on my right by about 300 yards, and for a time was exposed to a
terrible front and enfilading fire, inflicting great loss.
It gives me satisfaction to be enabled to state
that my brigade fought under an inspiration of enthusiasm which impelled the men forward
with the confidence of victory. Had it been possible to have strengthened it by a
supporting force of 2,000 or 3,000 men, there was not then, nor is there now, a doubt in
my mind that the enemy's right, though in vastly superior numbers, would have been driven
upon his center and both, in confusion, on his left, utterly routing him. The victory,
though decisive, would thus have been rendered signal, and the enemy's lines broken and
dispersed.
The loss in killed and wounded was, of the
Fifty-third Georgia Volunteers, 30 per cent.; Thirty second Virginia, 45 per cent.; Tenth
Georgia, 57 per cent.; Fifteenth Virginia, 58 per cent., detailed statements of which are
herewith submitted. The disparity in the loss of some of the companies of the same
regiment is very marked. Three of the four regimental commanders were wounded.
Lieutenant-Colonel Sloan, commanding Fifty-third Georgia, fell, it was then supposed,
mortally wounded, while gallantly leading his regiment forward into line on the extreme
left of the brigade.
The regimental commanders displayed conspicuous
gallantry and by their example inspired their commands with the confidence of positive
success. Troops never fought more persistently, intelligently, and with more valor.
My staff, Lieutenant Briggs, aide-de-camp, and
Lieutenants Redd and Cody, volunteer aides, were present during the entire action, and
were more exposed, if possible, than any of the troops, being often employed in bearing
orders to the different parts of my line and to commanders of other troops in the
vicinity, displaying coolness and gallantry of the highest order, and all escaping
untouched except Lieutenant Redd, who received a slight wound on the body from a spent
bullet. Calling for a staff' officer to bear an order to the regiments on the left, none
being at hand, Captain Henley, acting commissary of subsistence, Thirty-second Virginia,
who had been shot through the arm but refused to quit the field, offered himself to become
the bearer, which was declined, on account of his wound; whereupon, stating that his wound
was slight and that he was not disabled, he was allowed to proceed. While doing so, he
fell, severely wounded, pierced with two bullets. This is only a prominent example of many
acts of signal daring and valor displayed on that bloody and memorable field by officers
and men of all the regiments.
After the enemy was thus driven back, and the
fire of his small-arms had for some time entirely ceased, the troops, having been under an
incessant musketry and artillery fire for two hours and twenty minutes, were so thoroughly
exhausted and their ammunition so nearly expended as to render necessary the order to
retire for the purpose of reforming and obtaining a fresh supply of ammunition. Remaining
myself an hour longer in front, with Lieutenant Davis and 6 men of the Tenth Georgia
Volunteers, I then withdrew and reported to Major-General McLaws, who ordered my brigade
to be reassembled in reserve.
Thirty six prisoners, including a lieutenant
colonel and first lieutenant, were captured at a farm-house, the most advanced position
held by my brigade, which is some hundreds of yards in advance of the other portions of
our line of battle.
The reports of regimental commanders are
herewith submitted, to which reference is respectfully asked for further details.
Manly's battery was detached from my command
during the battle. His report is herewith submitted.

MAJOR: In answer to the inquiry by
Major-General Longstreet as to the number of colors lost by our troops in the battles in
Maryland, I have the honor to state that no colors were lost by the regiments of this
brigade. In the battle of Sharpsburg the colors of the Fifty-third Georgia received two
shots; that of the Fifteenth Virginia, ten, and the pike was once cut in two; 2
color-bearers were wounded, and 1 of the colorguard was killed and 1 wounded. The colors
of the Thirty-second Virginia received seventeen shots, and the pike was once cut in two
and 1 of the color-guard killed. The colors of the Tenth Georgia received forty-six shots,
and the pike was once hit and twice cut in two; 1 color-bearer and 1 of the color-guard
were killed, and 1 color-bearer and 1 of the color-guard wounded. These facts were not
incorporated in the report of the operations of this brigade in the battle of Sharpsburg.
It is, therefore, respectfully submitted that this communication be regarded as a
supplement to that report.